TROUBLE-shooter teams hired to sort out a cash crisis in the local NHS have cost taxpayers more than a million pounds.

The KPMG turnaround squad brought in by the Department of Health added a total of £1.1m to the deficit of Western Cheshire Primary Care Trust.

This intervention followed the work of a separate company hired to do the same job which cost another £130,000.

A Western Cheshire PCT spokes-woman said: 'To set these costs in context, we have already managed to achieve £5.1million of the £12.7million in savings we need to make by the end of this financial year.

'Currently, we are also required, by the Department of Health, to employ a turnaround director to monitor the progress we are making against our financial recovery plan.'

The KPMG team, which varied in size between five and 10 people day to day, began its work in March after Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt insisted on getting help to the 18 worst performing PCTs in the country.

The Patient and Public Involvement Forum claimed the skills needed to resolve the financial problems already existed in-house.

Forum spokesman Geoff Ryall-Harvey, told The Chronicle: 'The PCT would have saved £6.2m instead of £5.1m if they had not brought in out-side consultants. Nothing they have done in terms of the financial recovery plan is anything that was not known to the NHS. KPMG has brought nothing new to the table.

'I acknowledge this measure was forced on the PCT but in that case why should we have to pay for it locally?'

Mr Ryall-Harvey noted the employment of a turnaround director to monitor progress with the recovery plan.

Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has announced a £20 million support package for Western Cheshire to enable it to achieve financial balance over the next 18 months. But this is on condition it meets targets in its financial recovery plan. david.holmes@cheshirenews.co.uk